What Leonardo da Vinci invention measured wind speed?

Leonardo da Vinci’s wind-measuring invention was an anemometer.

An anemometer measures wind speed, and Leonardo designed a simple mechanical version in the late fifteenth century. His device used a lightweight plate that moved in the wind along a graduated scale. The position of the plate indicated how strongly the air was blowing.

Leonardo was interested in wind measurement because it mattered to flying machines, sails, and the movement of air. His instrument did not produce a modern numerical reading automatically, but it translated wind force into a visible mechanical movement. That made it useful for comparing conditions and thinking about flight.

An anemometer should not be confused with a barometer. A barometer measures atmospheric pressure, while an anemometer measures wind speed. Modern instruments often use rotating cups, propellers, or ultrasonic sensors; Leonardo’s design relied on a plate and scale.